Student Lunch Recycling Program: Our School & Teacher Services staff instituted a recycling program that sorts through visiting students’ lunches. It involves sorting: aluminum, plastics, paper, cardboard, glass, compost and trash (landfill), as well as recycling of uneaten food. While the program does require staff/volunteer supervision to ensure proper sorting, we found it to be a valuable educational experience for students, teachers, and parent chaperones.

Santa Barbara Sustainable Seafood Program: This grassroots program started at our Sea Center campus and is focused on changing the way our community values seafood. The goal of the program is to increase awareness and availability of sustainable seafood in local restaurants and markets. Sustainable seafood can be wild-caught or farmed raised, but must be harvested with care to maintain stable catch levels in the long-term without major harm to the environment and other sea life. Through a focus on education and raising awareness in consumers, restaurants, and purveyors, we hope to create an increased consciousness in every seafood purchase. To make Santa Barbara a flagship community for sustainable seafood our program takes a three-pronged approach through community outreach, the restaurant program, and a Seafood distributor program. More>

Community Collection Site for Battery Recycling: The Museum and Sea Center will gladly recycle your batteries. Batteries received are properly disposed of at the Community Hazardous Waste Collection Center, located at University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) campus. More information about the program:

No large lantern batteries, car/motorcycle batteries or any lead acid type batteries can be recycled.

Community Outreach Events
The Museum and Sea Center host, co-host, and participate in a number of special events to offer the community opportunities to learn more about preserving and sustaining Santa Barbara and our natural world through hands-on education.

January: Marine Science Career Day

April: Participate in the Earth Day Festival hosted by the Community Environmental Council

May: Sensational Sustainable Seafood and National Astronomy Day

June: World Oceans Day

July: Solar SUNday (partnered with the Community Environmetnal Council)